Writing a Summary

Why write a summary?

· To remember what you read

· To understand what you read

· To use for later review.

What three things go in the first sentence of a good summary?

· Main idea

· Author

· Title of original article

What goes next in a good summary?

· The major details that support the main idea.

What are 4 qualities of a good summary?

· Brief (leave out the minor details)

· Complete (Main Idea and all the major details)

· Clear (Someone who hasn’t read the original can still understand the summary.)

· Objective (Keep your own mouth shut and tell only the author’s ideas in your own words)